Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering, a unit of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division, has secured regulatory approval to produce components for the RITM-200 nuclear reactor using 3D-printing technology. 

The first approved part—a terminal box used in pumping equipment for nuclear power plants—has already been manufactured.

“This regulatory approval for the first additive-manufactured component of the RITM-200 reactor plant opens the door to broader use of 3D printing for marine nuclear power systems and other applications across the nuclear sector,” said Yuri Vytnov, Chief Technologist at Afrikantov OKBM.

Ilya Kavelashvili, Director of the Additive Technologies business area within Rosatom’s Fuel Division, said the shift to 3D printing “creates new opportunities in design and production,” allowing engineers to build parts with optimized geometries and improved performance. 

The approach, he noted, enhances equipment efficiency and reliability while reducing both weight and cost.

The approval marks the first time in Russia’s nuclear industry that reactor-unit components have been cleared for production via additive manufacturing. 

Until now, 3D printing was used only for bench-test items, tooling, and prototype models. Its industrial adoption is expected to extend product lifespans, improve economic efficiency, and lower labor requirements.

3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing—produces three-dimensional objects by depositing materials such as plastics, resins, or metals layer by layer according to a digital model.

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